Knitting method and article



A ril 26, 1966 D. H. FREGEOLLE ETAL 3,247,635

KNITTING METHOD AND ARTICLE Filed July 9, 1962 7 Sheets-Sheet l NI 1% ii INVENTORS DONAT H. FREGEOLLE. BY FLOR/AN 6! DUBE.

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QM Q-W A TTORNE Y April 1966 D. H. FREGEOLLE ETAL 3,247,685

KNITTING METHOD AND ARTICLE 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 9, 1962 LILLD INVENTORS DONAT H. FREGEOLLE.

m E am a 06 n F A 2 A mm 0 Y B A TTORNEY April 1966 D. H. FREGEOLLE ETAL 3,247,685

KNITTING METHOD AND ARTICLE 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 9, 1962 wt .5 m 5 IN VENTORS A TTORNEY April 1966 D. H. FREGEOLLE ETAL 3, 7,685

KNITTING METHOD AND ARTICLE '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 9, 1962 REGFEED INVENTORS oo/mr h. FREGEOLLE BY Fw/e/A/va DUBE.

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QM MM A TTORNE Y April 6, 1966 D. H. FREGEOLLE ETAL 3,247,685

KNITTING METHOD AND ARTICLE 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 9, 1962 INVENTORS DONAT H. FREGEOLLE. B FLOR/AN c DUBE.

Y 03cm: FREGEOLLE. QM OW A TTORNE Y April 26, 1966 D. H. FREGEOLLE ETAL 3,247,635

KNITTING METHOD AND ARTICLE Filed July 9, 1962 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTO'RS DOA/AT H F'Rlz'GEOLLE.

BY FLOR/AN C DUBE.

OSCAR FEEGEOLLE am 0 hula/WC A TTORNE Y April 6. 1966 D. H. FREGEOLLE ETAL 3,247,685

KNITTING METHOD AND ARTICLE Filed July 9, 1962 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTORS DONAT H. FKEGEOLLE. BY FLOR/AN (Z DUBE.

0.90m: FREGEOLLE.

A TTORNE Y United States Patent 3,247,685 KNITTING METf-lfil) AND ARTHCLE Douat H. Fregeolle, Cumberland, Florian C. Dubs,

Central Falls, and Oscar Fregeolle, Lincoln, R.I., as-

signors to The Banner Company, (Jentral Falls, R.l., a

corporation of Rhode island Filed July 9, 1962, Ser. No. 2tl8,315 6 Claims. (Cl. 6643) This invention relates to knitting, and, in particular, to a method of knitting tubular fabrics having unusual pattern effects, and to the fabric produced thereby.

It is the general object of the invention to provide a method of knitting tubular fabrics to produce any one or a combination of various pattern effects such as lacework or filet patterns of any desired configuration, rib effects, cable designs and many others, as well as to provide fabrims having such effects.

It is a more specific object to provide a method of knitting articles of hosiery having incorporated at least in the leg portions thereof areas of lacework or open work of any desired configuration or pattern, extending either completely around the entire cincumference of the hosiery or only along selected parts thereof, and along extended portions of the leg and/or foot portions or along only limited parts thereof.

It is a more specific object to provide a method of knitting articles of hosiery, and the article produced thereby, having selected areas of lacework design which may extend in any desired direction to produce certain pattern effects, or which may simulate any given configuration and wherein the areas of openwork may be interconnected by plain or jersey stitches.

It is a further object to provide a method of knitting articles of hosiery, and to the article produced thereby, having selected portions thereof wherein the stitches protrude outwardly of the stitches in adjacent areas whereby, for example, rib and cable effects may be produced.

It is a further object to provide a method of knitting articles ofhosiery, and to the article produced thereby, having combinations of the above-mentioned pattern effects, and wherein the knitting in those pattern areas.

takes place entirely in one direction or in rotary work.

According to the present invention, it is now possible to knit on single or multiple feed knitting machines of known construction, articles of hosiery which incorporate therein areas of openwork or lacework of any given design or configuration. These pattern areas may extend along small or large portions of the visible areas of the hosiery, that is, the leg portion, and into the foot portion as well, and they may extend around a part only of the circumference or around the entire circumference.

For example, the openings may comprise a repetitive pattern completely covering a given area or they may outline in themselves various patterns such as diamonds, circles, panels and, in fact, any conceivable design.

The novel method which is used in producing lacework patterns according to this invention can also be used with variations in the needle selectivity only to overlapping some of the stitches in the previously knitted partial course. Holes are produced as the knitting proceeds from needles which have knitted one or more times during preceding revolutions of the needle cylinder to needles which knit in continuation of such needles in subsequent revolutions.

Raised areas in the fabric are produced in a method similar to that discussed above and wherein those needles in the raised areas are caused to knit a greater number of stitches in a given length of fabric than needles in adjacent plain areas.

A more complete understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the description which follows and to the figures of drawing, wherein:

'FIG. 1 is an illustration of an article of hosiery showing one type of lacework or openwvork pattern which may be produced according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is an illustration of an article of hosiery wherein certain areas are raised in the leg portion above the adjacent areas to give a rib effect to the article;

FIG. 3 is a stitch diagram, looking from the inside of the fabric, of the hosiery shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a stitch diagram, looking from the inside of the fabric, of the hosiery shown in FIG. 2;

FIGS. 5 to 7 represent needle cam layouts looking from the interior of a machine on which the invention may be practiced and illustrating the consecutive selection of needles in producing the fabric illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3; and

FIGS. 8 to 11 represent similar needle cam layouts illustrating the consecutive selection of needles in producing the fabric and pattern illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4.

The present invention may be carried out on knitting machines of known construction, such as the well-known SCP or SCOP machines now produced by The Banner Company, of Pawtucket, Rhode Island. Such machines are completely described in US. Patent No. 2,217,022 and later patents and include a needle cylinder adapted to knit in rotation or in reciprocation. The cylinder includes a plurality of independently controlled needles 21 (FIG. 5), preferably of the latch type, having butts 22 which are normally divided into two semi-circular groupings of long and short butts. Each needle has a selecting jack 23 beneath it and these jacks have selecting butts 24, a master butt 25 and a plain sole butt 2:6. The selecting butts are capable of being broken out at will to set up a pattern of any desired configuration.

These SCP and SCOP machines are provided with two knitting and feeding stations, one being designated as a regular or main feeding station 27 and the other as the auxiliary knitting and feeding station 28 located in opposed relation to each other, the knitting and selecting cams associated therewith being illustrated in FIG. 5

(and following) as seen from the inside of the needle cylinder; The regular station has front and rear stitch cams 29 and 3t respectively, a center cam 31, and narrowing picks 32 and 33, effective one in each direction during knitting of the heel and toe, to raise certain needles to a level above cam 31. The narrowing picks are selectively controllable to be projected into and withdrawn from action at the proper times. Needle raise earns 34 and 35 complete the group at the regular feeding station.

At the auxiliary side there are provided front and rear stitch cams 36 and 37, respectively, raise earns 38 and 39, and widening picks 4t) and 41 which function in heel knitting and are conventional in construction, control, and operation.

The needle cams above-mentioned are to be found in some form on all SCOP machines although not in the identical form in each instance. In addition there are provided at either side of the regular feeding station needle raise cams 42 at the front and 43 at the rear which are individually controllable to be withdrawn from action completely, and to be permitted to drop in to engage long butts only or both long and short butt needles. In a given direction of rotation only one of these cams will be working, the other of the two being withdrawn at that time.

A center cam 44 and guard cam 45 complete the group at the auxiliary station.

Pour selecting units are provided, designated as A, B, C and D, one in advance of each cam block, both at the front and back thereof so that a selection may be made at each reciprocatory knitting stroke and also at either feeding station. These are similar to those described in United States Patent No. 2,217,022 and contain a plurality of independently movable selecting plungers 46 engageable when moved inwardly toward the cylinder with any jack selecting butts 24 passing in line therewith. When thus selected or raised, master butts 25 engage a master cam 47 and the jacks are thereby elevated to raise their respective needles for the same distance.

Cams 48 are jack leveling cams and cams 49 lower raised jacks by contact with butts 26. Cams 50 are for the purpose of raising jacks to a safe position, if a master butt should break, by acting upon butts 26.

Each of the selecting units A, B, C and D i accompanied by a ratcheted drum (not shown) having pattern discs thereon for actuating the plungers 46 according to a pattern. Each of the selecting units is similar in construction, those at each station being oppositely disposed to select jacks and needles before these enter their cams and one only at each station functions in each reciprocatory stroke and one or opposite pairs in rotary Work. They may be removed from action at will and means other than the pattern drums may cause some or all plungers to be withdrawn or rendered active as a group, such means not being necessary of description here and being fully disclosed in the above-mentioned patent.

The method according to the present invention is practiced in rotary work, that is, with the needle cylinder rotating in one direction only, that being counterclockwise as indicated by the arrow in FIG. and the normal direction for rotary work in such machines.

Further, for the sake of simplicity and clarity, the invention will be described as it would be practiced with only one knitting and feeding station in operation, this being arbitrarily chosen as the regular station, although it is to be understood that the invention may equally well be practiced at both stations and accordingly at twice the speed.

Two basic types of patterns will be described, each of which is representative of a whole class of similar patterns all of which may be produced by the instant invention. The first of these is illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3 and may be termed as a hole pattern, openwork or lacework.

The other is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4 and has a ribbed eflect with cables incorporated therein.

Now referring to FIGS. 1 and 3 an article of hosiery is shown at 51, including a top portion 52, leg portion 53, heel 54 and foot 55. The leg portion includes a plurality of even spaced openings or holes H which extend completely around the circumference thereof, the holes being spaced both Walewise and coursewise.

A more complete description of this fabric and the manner in which it is produced will now be detailed with particular reference to FIGS. 3 and 5 to 7.

At the completion of the top portion 52 of the stocking in the usual manner and in rotary work, the elastic yarn which is normally incorporated therein is withdrawn, and the remainder of the stocking may be knitted with the same base yarn used in the top portion so that a single solid color article of hosiery is the end product.

The base yarn may be knitted for a few courses in the leg portion if desired prior to commencing the pattern work, or the patterning may be begun immediately after termination of the top. In the firstrevoluticn of the cylinder prior to the first course of patterning four needles only, 56, 57, 58 and 59 (FIG. 5), are selected either at station A or C and are caused to knit at the regular station and to form stitches 56a. 57a, 58a and 59a, or a partial course in a first course A of the patterning as shown in FIG. 3. All remaining needles, in number out of the normal group of 84, remain inactive and pass under stitch earns 29 and 39. All needles during the patterning may be considered to pass inactively through the auxiliary feeding station whereat the cam block is withdrawn from action.

On the second revolution in the patterning, needles 56 to 59 are again selected as well as four additional trailing needles, 60, 61, 62 and 63 (FIG. 6). Needles 56 to 59 draw stitches 56b, 57b, 58b and 59b to knit a part of a second partial course in the second course B of the patterned area while needles 60 to 63 draw stitches 60a 61a, 62a and 63a to knit the remainder of that second partial course in the first course A of the patterned area. The last stitch 59a in the first partial course and the first stitch 56b in the second partial course are interconnected by a bight of yarn or float E.

On the third revolution in the patterning cycle (FIG. 7) needles 56 to 59 remain inactive while needles 60 to 63 are again selected as Well as for additional trailing needles 64, 65, 66 and 67. Needles 6d to 63 draw stitches dob, 61b, 62b and 63b to knit a part of a third partial course in the second course B of the patterned area while needles 64 to 67 draw stitches 64a, 65a, 66a and 67a to knit the remainder of that third partial course in the first course A of the patterned area, the end of the second partial course and beginning of the third partial course being also interconnected by a float F.

In FIG. 3 courses A and B are indicated by cross hatching.

This general cycle is repeated until two complete courses of fabric have been knitted. It will be apparent that the cycle except for the initial section of four needles comprises knitting a partial course with a first group of eight needles during one revolution of the needle cylinder. Then on a subsequent revolution knitting a further partial course with a second group of eight needles which second group includes some only of the first group and some additional needles, so that each group of four needles knits during each of two revolutions of the cylinder and is rendered inactive on the third revolution.

Each time that a new group of needles is selected to knit, openings or holes H are produced in the fabric between the adjacent stitches in each group (FIG. 3).

When the two courses A and B are completed, the same cycle is repeated with respect to courses C and D (dotted courses in FIG. 3) immediately following except that the needle selection is displaced by two needles, that is, instead of commencing with needles 56 to 59, needles 56 and 57 and the two preceding needles are selected to knit the first partial course in course C of the fabric. Then, the following partial course is knitted on a following revolution using these same four needles and needles 58, 59, 6t) and 61, and so on until courses C and D are completed. This variation in the needle selection as to courses C and D results in holes or openings H which are offset two stitches coursewise with respect to the holes H Next, courses, E, F, G and I are knitted in the same manner and are exact duplicates of courses A, B, C, and D and the cycle of four courses is repeated for as long as desired.

Obviously, the offsetting of the needle selection in courses C and D is entirely arbitrary and results in a different pattern effect than if the same grouping of needles were re-selected for each of the pairs of courses.

The size of the holes may be increased merely by knitting three or more times on each group of four needles before selecting additional new needles to knit instead of only twice as in the pattern described above and shown in FIG. 3.

Additionally, the needle selection may be varied in many different Ways and in groups of at least two or any greater number to produce unusual hole patterns. The selection as to number of needles in each group need not be repeated. Not all of the needles of a particular group need to be re-selected to knit on the second partial course but some may be selected to tuck on that course to produce still other variations. For example, either or both needles 57 and 58 could tuck in course B instead of knit thereat.

Now referring to FIGS. 2, 4 and 8 to 11, another representative pattern will be described. This. pattern may be said to have a rib effect incorporating spaced vertical rows of stitches which protrude outwardly beyond the normal face of the fabric. These rows further appear as small cables extending walewise or lengthwise of the stocking and are spaced by vertical rows ofplain stitches. Small holes or openings also appear between the vertical rows of the two groups.

The method by which such a pattern is knitted will now I be described. In a first partial course twelve needles 68 to 79 only (FIG. 8) are selected to knit a partial course in the first revolution of the needle cylinder to produce stitches 68j to 79 in course J (FIG. 4).

On the next revolution of the cylinder, needles 77 to 79 and twelve additional nedles 80 to 91 (FIG. 9) are selected to knit the second partial course including stitches 77j', 78 and 79 which may be said to be in course I as noted in FIG. 4.

On each subsequent revolution the last three needles to knit in the previous revolution are selected plus twelve additional trailing needles until all of the needles have been caused to knit and course I is thus completed.

A following course K is then knitted using exactly the same needle selection as in course I.

The next course L is knitted by displacing the needle selection by six needles, that is, knitting a first partial course with needles 68 to 73 only (FIG. 10). The sec- 0nd partial course in course L is knitted with the last three needles 71, 72 and 73 of the previous group plus twelve additional needles 74 to 85 (FIG. 11), and so on until course L is complete.

Then, course M is knitted using the same needle selection as in course L.

This completes the cycle and additional groups of four similar courses are knitted for as long as desired.

The needle selection in courses I and K produces what may be termed vertically extending ribs R wherein each of the three wales of fabric in those ribs includes more stitches per unit length of fabric than in the adjacent plain areas. These ribs also extend outwardly of the stocking beyond the adjacent areas, and they occur in every fourth group of three needles.

The needle selection in courses L and M produces similar ribs R intermediate ribs R or which are spaced on either side thereof by three plain stitches. See FIGS. 2 and 4.

Floats F occur here also similar to those in FIG. 3 interconnecting the last stitch of one partial course and the first stitch of the next partial course. Furthermore, holes H, smaller than those in the FIG. 1 pattern, will appear between end stitches in each rib and the adjacent plain stitches as indicated in FIG. 4.

It will be apparent that many variations of the two particular patterns described above can be knitted using the principle described but with variations in the needle selectively. For example, it is possible to produce hole patterns of any conceivable configuration. The. holes may appear in vertical lines for any desired extent and spaced apart any number of stitches. They may appear in diagonal lines, in triangular form, squares, rectangles, circles or any combination thereof through needle selectivity.

The size of the holes may be increased by increasing the number of partial courses a given group of needles knits before a further partial course is knitted with additional trailing needles. For example, in FIG. 3 the holes H would be larger if needles 56 to 59 only were to knit three, four, or five partial courses before needles 60 to 63 were selected to knit i'n continuation thereof.

Further, while for the sake of clarity the invention has been described as it would be carried out utilizing one feed only in a single revolution, it may be, and is preferably, carried out utilizing two or more feeding and knitting stations per revolution of the needle cylinder thereby to decrease the knitting time. It will be readily apparent to one skilled in this art from the above description how this may be done, the only variationover the described method being in the needle selectivity and two or more cam blocks being in active position.

Also, the invention may be practiced not only upon hosiery as described but upon body fabrics as Well.

We claim:

1. A method of knitting a tubular fabric on a circular independent needle knitting machine having a needle cylinder and needles which comprises the steps of (a) knitting a first partial course on a first group of needles,

(b) knitting a second partial course with at least some of said first group of needles and with some additional trailing needles, and

(c) continuing the knitting of further partial courses with some only of the gruop of needles which knitted in the immediately previous partial course until all of the needles have knitted.

2. A method of knitting a tubular fabric on a circular independent needle knitting machine having a needle cylinder and needles which comprises the steps of (a) knitting a first partial course on a first group. of

needles,

( b) knitting a second partial course with at least some of said first group of needles and with some additional trailing needles, I

(c) continuing the knitting of further partial courses with some only of the group of needles which knitted in the immediately previous partial course until all of the needles have knitted,

(d) and repeating steps (a), (b) and (c) for as long as desired.

3. A method of knitting a tubular fabric on a circular independent needle knitting machine having a needle cylinder and needles which comprises the steps of (a) knitting a first partial course :on a first group of needles,

(lb) knitting a second partial course with at least some of said first group of needles and with some additional trailing needles,

(c) continuing the knitting of further partial courses with some only of the group of needles which knitted in the immediately previous partial course until all of the needles have knitted,

(d) repeating steps (a), (b) and (c) at least once,

(c) then knitting a partial course using some only of said first group of needles and additional trailing needle-s,

(f) knitting a further partial course using some only of the needles which knitted in step (e) and still additional trailing needles,

(-g) and continuing the knitting of further partial courses in a similar manner.

4. A method of knitting a tubular fabric on a circular independent needle knitting machine having a needle cylinder and needles which comprises the steps of (a) knitting a partial course on a first group of needles,

(b) knitting at least one additional partial course with said first group of needles,

(0) knitting a subsequent partial course with at least one of the needles of said first group and with a second group of additional needles,

((1) knitting at least one additional partial course with said second group of needles,

(e) continuing the knitting until a tubular article is completed.

5. A method of knitting a tubular fabric on a circular independent needle knitting machine having a needle cylinder and needles which comprises the steps of (a) knitting at least two partial courses on a group of needles,

( b) knitting a following partial course with at least one of the needles of said group and with additional adjacent needles,

(c) knitting a following partial course with at least some of said additional adjacent needles only,

((1) and repeating steps (:b) and (c) until a tubular fabric has been knitted.

6. A method of knitting a tubular fabric on a circular independent needle knitting machine having a needle cylinder and needles which comprises the steps of (a) knitting at least two partial courses on a group of needles,

('b) knitting a following partial course with at least one of the needles of said group and with additional adjacent needles,

(c) knitting a following partial course 'with at leas some of said additional adjacent needles only,

((1) repeating steps (b) and (c) until a tubular fabric has been knitted,

(e) and repeating steps (a) to (d) for as long as desired.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,460,477 7/1923 Carter 66-187 2,573,117 10/1951 Thurston 66180 2,633,722 4/1953 Lorim'ier 66-180 2,858,685 11/1958 Sommers 66169 3,069,880 12/1962 Levin 6643 3,085,409 4/1963 Bryant 66-180 3,096,633 7/1963 Levin 66-43 DONALD W. PARKER, Primary Examiner.

RUSSELL C. MADER, Examiner. 

1. A METHOD OF KNITTING A TUBULAR FABRIC ON A CIRCULAR INDEPENDENT NEEDLE KNITTING MACHINE HAVING A NEEDLE CYLINDER AND NEEDLES WHICH COMPRISED THE STEPS OF (A) KNITTING A FIRST PARTICLE COURSE ON A FIRST GROUP OF NEEDLES, (B) KNITTING A SECOND PARTIAL COURSE WITH AT LEAST SOME OF SAID FIRST GROUP OF NEEDLES AND WITH SOME ADDITIONAL TRAILING NEEDLES, AND (C) CONTINUING THE KNITTING OF FURTHER PARTIAL COURSES WITH SOME ONLY OF THE GROUP OF NEEDLES WHICH KNITTED IN THE IMMEDIATELY PREVIOUS PARTIAL COURSE UNTIL ALL OF THE NEEDLES HAVE KNITTED. 